Wings

Luck

"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another."
—Charles Dickens

____________________________

REMY

Another day had passed at the prison. Remy was given the ok for residency, but she had yet to prove herself very useful. When she could, she would take a shift killing "walkers" at the fence, or doing laundry. She was glad to do it, but she felt on her at all times, the watchful eyes of the bowman.

It was very clear that he had taken on the role of protector at the prison. It tickled her to think he perceived her as a threat. At 5'2" she wasn't exactly intimidating. Certainly not for someone like him. But, she reminded herself, these were different times. The people who had lasted this long? All of them were dangerous, one way or another. Remy reflected on that thought. Was she really dangerous? She supposed she could be 'if push came to shove'. In her heart, an old, familiar ache threatened to surface. She shook her head, pushing it back down. Then, when she looked up, she decided to take the bull by the horns. Or the biker by the vest, she supposed.

Marching up to his post at the guard tower she told him "I wanna do more."

He didn't even look at her. "Think they're puttin' in another garden."

"You saw me out there and brought me here for a reason. I know it's important, but plenty of women here can garden."

"Talk to Rick."

"He's got enough going on. I'm talkin to you. Let me help. Let me take a watch shift."

"Can't."

"Cuz you still think I might be with this 'Governor'? Alright, fine, then let me go on a run." She bounced back quickly from the sting of inferred accusation.

"Can't." His voice sounded more agitated than usual.

"You saw me put down walkers. And I've gotten more practice since. I want to be helpful. Please?"

Daryl

"...Please?"

Daryl knew there was no way he was going to put the new kid on a run with Glenn and Maggie, or the others. She was eager to get out, that was obvious. It was a feeling that he understood.

"Ya said ya can hunt then?"

"Well I'm better at trapping, but yes, I can hunt."

"We'll go tomorrow. Two days or so. We'll try an' get a hog. Maybe a deer. Be cold soon, need the meat, better chances with 2."

The girl's face lit up. Daryl didn't think he'd ever seen someone so eager to leave relative safety, except for maybe himself. He tried not to think about that too much.

One on one, he knew he would be able to figure her out. Pick her brain. It would be even easier as she wasn't afraid of him. She had good reason to fear Merle, and kept her guard up, but Daryl knew by the way she spoke to him that she saw him as no threat. He didn't know how he felt about that. He often felt the same with Carol. He didn't like feeling naked and exposed, like they could see right through him.

He'd find out who she really was one way or another. Was she the open, song in her heart, heart on her sleeve girl he saw inside the high walls, or the calculated hammer wielding tough from the forest? He was also dying to know how she had made it so long all alone, without even the dog. He decided that he would do what he did best: Stay silent and observe. He'd see what she could do; both in the woods and with the dead.

She broke the pause with "Think Dax will be ok here while we're gone?"

Daryl glanced over at the dog, getting a belly rub from Glenn. Daryl indicated the scene with a quick point in their direction. "Yeah. Think he'll be jus' fine."

She just shook her head at the sight. "Shameless" she said, before walking off.

"We leave in the mornin', first light!" He called after her. She gave him a thumbs up in return.

The man gave a half smile. It was all he could muster. He hoped things worked out. That she proved herself.

Daryl couldn't remember when he had started worrying so much. Stopped sleeping. When these people had become his family. Maybe after Sofia. But if the chance he took on the girl panned out, it would take a heavy load off his mind.

Daryl often worried that if something were to happen to him, they may not be able to feed themselves. Rick had gone with him serveral times, and he had gotten lucky once, but that's all it was. Luck. They would need more than luck to keep them going.

Don't believe it was luck.

That's what she'd said. And she had said it with certainty.

____________________________
Note: hey! So I know I have the bushcraft and survival tag here, don't worry, we're gonna get into some more of that. Probably within the next chapter! Y'all stick with me! Also, please do your own research with that sort of thing. This is fanfiction, not a zombie apocalypse survival how-to. 😁

And let me know if you're liking the story so far. I'm also open to criticism! I know the pace isn't very fast right now, but we'll pick up speed soon.